Act: Steve Augeri Venue: Magic City Casino Date: December 21 2013
There was an interesting duality in the air last Saturday night at the Magic City Casino. Two identities snapped at each others’ neck: blaring rock music in English, and the kaleidoscope of Spanish Pop which is everyday and standard at the venue. This and the sounds of grinding machinery from the caravan of food trucks in the parking lot made the scene for Steve Augeri ‘s Miami concert.
The dog-track slash casino opened up it’s on-the-track stage, facing the grandstands. It gave it a feeling of a very compact outdoor festival. It wasn’t filled up, this old Flagler Dog Track hasn’t seen that in generations, but the first three sections closest to the stage were packed. On the track itself, immediately in front of the stage was a section of seats on sale for $70. What little space was behind these seats was available for the free general admission crowd. All walks of life came out; families with young children in black tees; middle aged dudes in collared shirts; dead ringers for Bret Michaels who never sold out; a guy with a shaved head and an impressive scalp tattoo that made his new hairline, including pork chops; and hot rocker girls who couldn’t possibly have been alive when Journey was big.
Augeri and band came out to the thumping Chain Reaction, a foot stomping bit that struck all the right balance of guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, and that voice. That voice of Augeri that has carried him in his career to front a handful of memorable acts. None as far-reaching as that near decade with Journey. Didn’t take long to get into their long discography, and for the most-part stay there. Stone in Love was the second song, again the band showcasing their ability to mix that heavy thunder and sing-a-long choruses that made the mainstream-melodic-metal of the 80s a fascinating creature in time and of it’s time.
